This video explains in depth the different political and economic aspects of Japan in the Tokugawa period.
Political Backdrop
The Tokugawa period in Japan saw peace and stability, which was new compared to the previous centuries of warfare and disruption. Because the Tokugawa period was such a calm time, it lead to expansion within the national economy. This included large increases of agricultural production, transportation, infrastructure, commerce, population, and literacy. During the Tokugawa period, there was an imperial court that maintained nominal authority. However, there was also the Tokugawa shogunate, that held the actual political power. Control over the county is split between the shogunate, who is in charge of administering one quarter of the country and the large cities, and about 270 of the regional military lords. The bakuhan government is very strong and conservative. It enforces strict social policies domestically. At the same time it keeps a firm limitation on all trade and exchange happening abroad.
there were many aspects to the social part of Tokugawa Japan in this time period. The embed link did not work, however if you go to Samurai Video
you will learn about the Samurai's, and the life of being a samurai.
Education
Merit became an important way of determining someone’s place in the social hierarchy of Japan. By the eighteenth century, neo-Confucian teachings of filial piety and loyalty to their superiors became the official state ruling. Some japanese thinkers looked into the uninterrupted imperial line in Kyoto. These thinkers were looking for validation of Japan’s intellectual lineage and cultural superiority. Some of these thinkers who wanted to restore rule by the emperors were arrested by the Shogun’s military men. However not all were arrested. Some went on and developed Japanese poetry. Poetry became popular with both upper and lower classes.
Artistic Innovation
One aspect of art that was very popular in the Edo (or Tokugawa) period was the porcelain production. It began in the seventeenth century. The japanese porcelain industry was pioneered by korean potters, who were in Japan at the time.
Another aspect of japanese art was creating art that had many panels. You can see this in several of the examples below. The actual pieces of work have six panels.
Another technique many people used in creating japanese art was to depict literature from different places. For example, the Landscapes with the Chinese Literati Su Shi and tao Qian painting uses ink monochrome and themes that were taken from Chinese literature to follow the painting practices that were associated with Zen temples.
Title: Crow and Heron, or Young Lovers Walking Together under an Umbrella in a Snowstorm Artist: Suzuki Harunobu Location: Ca, 1769
Title: Irises at Yatsuhashi (Eight Bridges) Artist: Ogata Kōrin Location: Japan, after 1709
Title: Calligraphy of a tang-dynasty poem, "Maple Bridge Night Mooring" Artist:Ike no Taiga Location: Japan, ca. 1770
Title: Landscapes with the Chinese Literati Su Shi and tao Qian
Artist:Nagasawa Rosetsu Location: Japan, 1795–99
Title: The illustrated life of Shinran (Shinran shōnin eden) Artist: Unidentified Artist Location: Japan, 17th–18th century
Title: The Rebellions of the Hōgen and Heiji Eras Artist: Unknown Location: Japan, 17th century
All pictures found on "The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Home." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
Classic literary texts
Literacy in Japan surged, especially with men. The most popular novels were able to sell 10,000-12,000 copies. Later in the 18th century Edo had around 60 booksellers and tons of book lenders. Because they had access to so many book lenders, it allowed books to spread to the wider public that could not afford these books previously. At the late 18th century came around more books were put out, and some of them criticized the government which forced officials to try and censor some of the published work.
One example of a popular text was “Greater learning for Females” which was released in 1762. This text was an influential text that made Confucian teachings easier for non scholars to understand. The text outlined social roles that stressed a hierarchy that was based on age and gender. This ensured order. Here is a link for Excerpts from Greater Learning for Females
Religion
Buddhist temples were growing in number, however they did not manage to displace the native Japanese practice of venerating ancestors and worshipping their gods in nature. The practice, known as Shinto, had a network of shrines throughout the country. Shinto developed from time honored beliefs in spirits. These spirits were called Kami, and they were associated with places and activities. People appealed to the spirits in nature and for daily life through incantations, as well as offerings. Some women who practiced shinto, served as mikos, which was a type of shamaness who had special divinatory powers. This is a video that explains some of the religious terms used above
Architecture
This is the Matsue Castle in Matsue, Japan. The construction started in 1607 and ended in 1611. Its nickname is the “black castle” or the “plover castle”
Observations about what we have learned.
While researching Japan and completing this project, I learned a lot about the culture and art of internet-based research. I learned that it is sometimes very hard to find exact, and specific information on what you are looking for. Most information can be very broad about the topic you are researching, which makes it hard to find a real answer to what you are looking for. Other times there is just too much information to sift through and find exactly what you are looking for. I personally had trouble in finding information about the education system in Japan during the Tokugawa period. Similarly, I was not able to find many examples of literary texts from that time period. However despite some of these roadblocks, you do get to learn a lot about your place, and you do gather a lot of information. It is just up to you to know what to do with it all.
Bibliography
"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Edo-Period Japanese Porcelain. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Nagasawa Rosetsu: Landscape and Chinese Figures (1975.268.75,76). N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
Map during the time period.
Economic Backdrop
This video explains in depth the different political and economic aspects of Japan in the Tokugawa period.Political Backdrop
The Tokugawa period in Japan saw peace and stability, which was new compared to the previous centuries of warfare and disruption. Because the Tokugawa period was such a calm time, it lead to expansion within the national economy. This included large increases of agricultural production, transportation, infrastructure, commerce, population, and literacy. During the Tokugawa period, there was an imperial court that maintained nominal authority. However, there was also the Tokugawa shogunate, that held the actual political power. Control over the county is split between the shogunate, who is in charge of administering one quarter of the country and the large cities, and about 270 of the regional military lords. The bakuhan government is very strong and conservative. It enforces strict social policies domestically. At the same time it keeps a firm limitation on all trade and exchange happening abroad.Timeline
My timeline for the Tokugawa period in JapanAspects of Culture
Social Backdrop
there were many aspects to the social part of Tokugawa Japan in this time period. The embed link did not work, however if you go to Samurai Videoyou will learn about the Samurai's, and the life of being a samurai.
Education
Merit became an important way of determining someone’s place in the social hierarchy of Japan. By the eighteenth century, neo-Confucian teachings of filial piety and loyalty to their superiors became the official state ruling. Some japanese thinkers looked into the uninterrupted imperial line in Kyoto. These thinkers were looking for validation of Japan’s intellectual lineage and cultural superiority. Some of these thinkers who wanted to restore rule by the emperors were arrested by the Shogun’s military men. However not all were arrested. Some went on and developed Japanese poetry. Poetry became popular with both upper and lower classes.Artistic Innovation
One aspect of art that was very popular in the Edo (or Tokugawa) period was the porcelain production. It began in the seventeenth century. The japanese porcelain industry was pioneered by korean potters, who were in Japan at the time.Another aspect of japanese art was creating art that had many panels. You can see this in several of the examples below. The actual pieces of work have six panels.
Another technique many people used in creating japanese art was to depict literature from different places. For example, the Landscapes with the Chinese Literati Su Shi and tao Qian painting uses ink monochrome and themes that were taken from Chinese literature to follow the painting practices that were associated with Zen temples.
Title: Crow and Heron, or Young Lovers Walking Together under an Umbrella in a Snowstorm
Artist: Suzuki Harunobu
Location: Ca, 1769
Title: Irises at Yatsuhashi (Eight Bridges)
Artist: Ogata Kōrin
Location: Japan, after 1709
Title: Calligraphy of a tang-dynasty poem, "Maple Bridge Night Mooring"
Artist: Ike no Taiga
Location: Japan, ca. 1770
Title: Landscapes with the Chinese Literati Su Shi and tao Qian
Artist: Nagasawa RosetsuLocation: Japan, 1795–99
Title: The illustrated life of Shinran (Shinran shōnin eden)
Artist: Unidentified Artist
Location: Japan, 17th–18th century
Title: The Rebellions of the Hōgen and Heiji Eras
Artist: Unknown
Location: Japan, 17th century
All pictures found on "The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Home." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
Classic literary texts
Literacy in Japan surged, especially with men. The most popular novels were able to sell 10,000-12,000 copies. Later in the 18th century Edo had around 60 booksellers and tons of book lenders. Because they had access to so many book lenders, it allowed books to spread to the wider public that could not afford these books previously. At the late 18th century came around more books were put out, and some of them criticized the government which forced officials to try and censor some of the published work.One example of a popular text was “Greater learning for Females” which was released in 1762. This text was an influential text that made Confucian teachings easier for non scholars to understand. The text outlined social roles that stressed a hierarchy that was based on age and gender. This ensured order. Here is a link for Excerpts from Greater Learning for Females
Religion
Buddhist temples were growing in number, however they did not manage to displace the native Japanese practice of venerating ancestors and worshipping their gods in nature. The practice, known as Shinto, had a network of shrines throughout the country. Shinto developed from time honored beliefs in spirits. These spirits were called Kami, and they were associated with places and activities. People appealed to the spirits in nature and for daily life through incantations, as well as offerings. Some women who practiced shinto, served as mikos, which was a type of shamaness who had special divinatory powers. This is a video that explains some of the religious terms used aboveArchitecture
This is the Matsue Castle in Matsue, Japan. The construction started in 1607 and ended in 1611. Its nickname is the “black castle” or the “plover castle”Observations about what we have learned.
While researching Japan and completing this project, I learned a lot about the culture and art of internet-based research. I learned that it is sometimes very hard to find exact, and specific information on what you are looking for. Most information can be very broad about the topic you are researching, which makes it hard to find a real answer to what you are looking for. Other times there is just too much information to sift through and find exactly what you are looking for. I personally had trouble in finding information about the education system in Japan during the Tokugawa period. Similarly, I was not able to find many examples of literary texts from that time period. However despite some of these roadblocks, you do get to learn a lot about your place, and you do gather a lot of information. It is just up to you to know what to do with it all.Bibliography
"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Edo-Period Japanese Porcelain. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015."Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Nagasawa Rosetsu: Landscape and Chinese Figures (1975.268.75,76). N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
"Edo Period Timeline." Japanese Paintings and Prints [USC Pacific Asia Museum]. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Japan, 1600–1800 A.D. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Shoguns and Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.
Tokugawa Japan. Global History and Geography, 4 Jan. 2011. Web. 5 Nov. 2015. <__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpEpagHOJFA__>.
"Samurai Video." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/samurai-and-bushido/videos/samurai>.
"Religion in Japan: A Brief Introduction." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015. <__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89t41IyUDmg__>.